Machine for applying pressure to shoe bottoms



March 22, 1938. F J. BETTER 2,111,606

I MACHINE FOR APPLYING PRESS URE TO SHOE BOTTOM:

' Filed May 22, 1936 92 mliml Patented Mar. 22, 1938 PATENT OFFECE MACHINE FOR APPLYING PRESSURE TO SHOE BOTTOMS Francis J. Better, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 22, 1936, Serial No. 81,367

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for use in applying pressure toshoe bottoms and is illustrated herein by way of example as embodied in a machine for cement attaching soles to shoes of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,047,185, granted July 14, 1936 on an application filed in the name of Milton H. Ballard et al.

In most machines for cement attaching soles to shoes the sole and shoe are mounted on a pad and pressure is applied to the shoe bottom either by inflating the pad while the shoe is supported against the pressure thereof or by pressing the sole and shoe forcibly against the pad. Accordingly, means is usually provided for engaging the shoe and the last in the shoe during the pressureapplying operation, this means in some cases supporting the shoe against the pressure of the pad and in other cases cooperating with pressureapplying mechanism to press thesole and shoe against the pad. 7

When operating on. high shoes, that'is, shoes having uppers which are open at the front and lace upover the wearers instep, it is often diffi cult to move the last-engaging means usually employed in such machines into position to engage the last without bending or distorting the portion of the upper which extends above the top of the last so that there is danger of pinching the upper between the last and the engaging means during the pressing operation.

An object of the present invention is to provide improved last-engaging means for supporting or pressing a sole and shoe on a pad which will be particularly adapted to operate on shoes having uppers which extend beyond the tops of the lasts in the shoes without distorting or interfering with the extended portions of the uppers.

To this end and'in accordance with one feature of the invention there is provided a lastengaging member or abutment arranged for movement relatively to a high shoe located on a supporting pad and means for moving the abutment into and out of position to engage the last in the shoe without dislocating the portion of the shoe upper-which extends beyond the top of said last. As illustrated, the last-engaging abutment comprises a curved arm having a last-engaging surface which is considerably. narrower than the top of a last. Above the narrow portion of the abutment is a laterally extending flange which is wider than the top' of a last and tapers at the rear portion of the abutment. The abutment is pivotally connected to pressure-applying means which, in the illustrated construetion, comprises a lever carried by a swinging member and adapted to press the sole and shoe against the pad to apply sole attaching pressure. As illustrated in the patent referred to, the swinging member is arranged to move outwardly and inwardly relatively tothe pad about an axis lo cated below the pad. and a handle is provided for swinging the member into operative position.

The means for moving the last-engaging abutment into position to engage the last during the pressing operation without distorting or displacing the extended portion of the upper comprises, as herein illustrated, a'pivoted lever adjacent tothe handle referred to and in position to be engaged, by the operator when he grasps the handle. The pivoted lever has another arm connected by intermediate mechanism to the last-engaging abutment. By this construction after the operator moves the swinging member into operative position to locate the last-engaging abutment over the pad, he can actuate the pivoted lever to swing the abutment longitudinally of the pad through the opening at the front of the upper and into position to engage the top of the last before the pressure-applying lever moves the abutment against the last to apply the sole-attaching pressure.

Since the flange on the abutment is tapered it will enter the opening'at the front of the upper and spread or separate the side portions of the upper so that they will not'contact with the top of the last, thereby permitting the narrow lastengaging surface of the abutment to engage the last without danger of pinching the upper between it and the last.

A spring is provided for automatically returning the abutment to inoperative position, the spring being just strong enough to swing the abutment into inoperative position when pressure on the shoe is relieved, thereby preventing damage to the mechanism through the force of the spring but causing the abutment to be returned to inoperative position while it is still located over the shoe on the pad.

With the above and other objects and features in View the invention will now be described in detail in connection with. the accompanying drawing and will thereafter be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. l is a front elevation of a portion of the machine in which the present invention is'embodied;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe upper portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 as viewed from the right; and

Fig. 3 is a detailed view partly in section of the last-engaging abutment in an inoperative position.

The invention is illustrated herein as embodied in a cement sole attaching machine of the type disclosed in the Ballard et a1. patent mentioned above. The machine is provided with a plurality of pad boxes If) each of which is secured to a bracket l2 formed on a turret (not shown) which is arranged for intermittent rotation in a column to present the pads in turn at an operating station. Each pad box 10 is provided with sole and shoe-locating mechanisms 14 and It for respectively engaging the foreparts and heel portions of a sole and shoe and positioning them relatively to each other on a yieldable pad 18 contained in the pad box.

The machine is also provided opposite each pad with a forwardly and rearwardly swinging member 20 for applying pressure to a sole and shoe on a pad, this member being pivoted, as disclosed in the patent referred to, on an axis located below and extending longitudinally of the pad. Each swinging member carries levers 22, 24, pivoted on a shaft 26 and having rearwardly extending arms 28 (Fig. 2) which are arranged to be engaged by hydraulically operated mechanism 35 which rotates the levers in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, to cause the forward ends of the levers to descend toward the shoe on the pad and, through means connected to the forward ends of the levers, to press the sole and shoe against the pad.

The lever 24 is arranged to operate a shoeengaging abutment 25 mounted for sliding movement longitudinally of the pad in a T-slot 21 formed in a carrier block 29. The carrier block 29 is formed on the end of an outwardly extending arm 3| pinned to a vertical shaft 33, this shaft, as illustrated in the patent referred to, being arranged for vertical sliding movement in bearings in the sole attaching machine to impart rectilinear movement to the abutment 25 as it moves toward and from the shoe, a spring 35 being provided on the shaft for returning the shaft, the abutment, and the pressure-applying lever 24 to inoperative position after the pressure has been applied. The carrier block 29 is loosely connected to the end of the lever 24 by a pin and slot connection 3! which permits slight movement of the end of the pivoted lever relatively to the carrier block as the lever rotates about its pivot. The shoe-engaging abutment 25 has a leather covered pad or cushion 34 at its lower end for engaging the shoe upper.

The shoe-engaging abutment 25 is connected by a rod 36 to a lower arm 38 of a handle 40 pivoted in a boss 41 formed on the right-hand side of the swinging member 20, this handle being fulcrumed for limited rotation lengthwise of the pad on a pin 42 to which it is secured, as will later appear. In moving the swinging member 20 forwardly over the pad into position to apply pressure to the sole and shoe, the operator grasps the handle 40 and swings the member 20 forwardly about its axis into a substantially vertical position after which the levers 22, 24 are operated by the hydraulic mechanism 30 to apply the sole-attaching pressure. After swinging the member 20 into pressure-applying position the operator can turn the handle 40 and pivot pin 42 to slide the shoe-engaging abutment 25 forwardly or rearwardly of the pad IS in the block 29 until the abutment is located in a proper position for engaging the forepart of the shoe on the pad.

In accordance with the invention disclosed herein the pressure-applying lever 22 at the heel portion of the pad is connected at its forward end to a last-engaging abutment 44 arranged to be moved into last-engaging position after the member 20 has been swung forwardly into pressureapplying position, thereby permitting the abutment 44 to be moved into operative position over the last in a high shoe without dislocating or distorting the portion of the upper which extends above the last. The abutment 44 comprises a curved arm secured by a set screw 45 (Fig. 3) to a pivot pin 45 which is rotatably mounted in a slide member 48 supported in a T-slot 58 extending longitudinally of the pad in a carrier block 52, the carrier block being formed on the end of an outwardly extending arm 49 (Fig. 2) pinned to a vertical shaft 5| arranged for sliding movement heightwise of the pad in the manner of the shaft 33 and having a spring 53 thereon for returning it to inoperative position. The carrier block 52 is pivotally connected by a pin and slot arrangement 54 to the outer end of the pressure-applying lever 22, thereby allowing movement of the end of the pivoted lever relatively to the carrier block. The slide member 48 is adjustable longitudinally of the pad in the T-slot 50 and is held in adjusted position by a friction plug 56 (Fig. 1). At its upper end the abutment has a rearwardly extending forked portion 58 which is located behind the slide 48, as viewed in Fig. 1. The slide 48 is provided at its right-hand end with an outwardly and downwardly extending arm 60 having a horizontal pin 51 rotatably mounted therein to which is secured by a tapered pin 64 (Fig. 3) a short curved arm 62. At its outer end the curved arm 62 carries a pin 66 which is located in the slot in the forked portion 58 of the last-engaging abutment 44. Rotation of the shaft 6| and the curved arm 62 in either direction, therefore, will swing the last-engaging member 44 in an opposite direction through the connections described.

The pivot pin 6| extends through the arm 60 and is connected by a universal joint 68 to a telescopic connecting rod 10 the lower end of which is connected by another universal joint 12 to a rotatable shaft '14 extending horizontally through the frame of the swinging member 20. The shaft 14 extends beyond the inner side of the member 20 and has fastened to its end a substantially horizontal lever 15, the right-hand end of which, as viewed in Fig. 1, is pivotally connected by a pin 18 to an upwardly extending link 80. At its upper end the link 88 is pivotally connected by a pin 82 to a downwardly curved arm 84 formed on a substantially T-shaped lever 86. The lever 86 has a forked portion which straddles the hub of the handle 40 and is pivoted on a pin 88 extending transversely through the pin 42 upon which the handle 40 is pivoted for movement lengthwise of the pad, thereby securing the handle to the pin 42. The lever has an upwardly and forwardly extending arm 90 (Fig. 2) the end 92 of which is enlarged and located in a position to be engaged by the operators thumb as he grasps the handle 48 to swing the member 20 forwardly into pressure-applying position.

The mechanism described is maintained normally in inoperative position with the last-engaging abutment 44 elevated, as shown in Fig. 3, by a tension spring 94 (Figs. 1 and 2) connected at'its upper end to the left-hand end of, the.

horizontal. lever 16 and connected at, its lower end to a screw 96. mounted'in. the swinging member 28. As shown in Fig. 3, the operative and inoperative positions of the last-engaging abutment 44 are determined, respectively, by inclined surfaces 98 and I88 formed on the slide member 48 and located in positions to engage corresponding surfaces on the last-engaging abutment 44.

The lower end of the last-engaging abutment is provided with a laterally extending flange I02 which is somewhat wider than the top surface of a last at the forward or left-hand portion of the abutment, as viewed in Fig. 1, but which at its rear portion tapers to a relatively narrow end which facilitates the movement of the abutment through the opening in the upper as will presently appear. Below the'flange the member 44 has a relatively narrow last-engaging portion I 04 which is arranged to engage the top surface of the last without contacting with the marginal portions of said surface.

In the operation of the mechanism an outsole Ais placed on the pad l8 with a shoe B on a last C and the sole and shoe are positioned relatively to each other on the pad by the positioning mechanisms l4 and IS, the shoe and sole having first been treated with cement for permanently attaching the sole to the shoe bottom. The operator then grasps the handle 40 of the swinging member 20 and pulls this member forwardly about its axis into a substantially vertical pressure-applying position. Before he operates the mechanism 38 for lowering the pressure-applying levers 22, 24, to press the sole and shoe against the pad, he presses with his thumb against the surface 92of the T-shaped lever 86 to swing this lever in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, about its pivot 88 against the action of the spring 84. 'This lowers the link 88 and rotates the horizontal lever 16 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1. The shaft 14 to whichthe lever 16 is fastened is thus rotated and, through the telescopic connecting member 10 and universal joints B8, 12, rotates the pin 6! and curved arm 62 in a clockwise direction to swing the lastengaging member 44 from the position shown in Fig. 3 into the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby bringing it directly over the top surface of the last C.

"The abutment 44 passes readily through the front opening in the upper which is notlaced above the last by reason of the tapered rear portion of the flange I02. Moreover, since the forward portion of the flange is considerably wider than the top surface of the last, it holds the opposite sides of the upper adjacent to said top surface away from the last, thereby permitting the relatively narrow portion I84 of the abutment to be in position to contact with the top of the last without pinching the side portions of the upper between it and the last. The operator then causes the power of the machine to operate the pressure-applying levers 22, 24 to lower the abutments 44, 25 into pressure-applying engagement with'the last and shoe. When such action takes place the operator may, of course, remove his thumb from the T-shaped lever 86 since the abutment 44 is now firmly held in pressure-applying position against the last.

' After the pressure has been applied to the sole and shoe, the mechanism 38 of the cementsoleattaching machine operates to release the shoe whereupon the abutments are elevated by the springs 35, 53 and the swinging member 28 is automatically returned to inoperative position. Before the member 20 is returned to inoperative position, however, the tension spring 94 actuates' the mechanism already described to swing the abutment 44 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. l, to return it to the inoperative position shown in Fig. 3, the abutment passing through the opening at the front of the shoe upper. The action of the spring 94 is not sufiiciently violent to injure the moving parts because the spring is just strong enough to overcome the weight of the abutment 44 and the mechanism associated therewith and thereby to return the abutment effectively but without undue force into inoperative position as soon as the pressure on the shoe is I relieved. The abutment 44 will thus be moved out of the way before the swinging member 28 moves rearwardly so that the portion of the upper extending beyond the top of the last will not be pulled or distorted by the return of the pressure-applying mechanism into inoperative position.

While the invention is disclosed herein as embodied in a machine for cement attaching soles to shoes, it is not limited to such a machine and may be utilized to advantage in other types of machines adapted to perform various operations on high shoes.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In. a machine for operating on shoes, the combination of means for supporting a shoe, a member movable transversely of the supporting means into position over a shoe thereon for engaging a last in a high shoe, and means for swinging said member when it is located over the shoe into position to engage said last without distorting the portion of the shoe upper which extends beyond the top of the last.

2. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination of means for supporting a shoe, a swinging member for engaging a last in a high shoe having an opening at the front of the shoe upper, and means for swinging said last-engaging member laterally and longitudinally of the supporting means into position to engage the last without dislocating the portion of the upper which extends above the top of the last.

3. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination of a pad for supporting a shoe, a member for operating on the forepart of a shoe, a' pivoted member arranged to engage a last in a high shoe for operating on the heel portion of said shoe, means movable relatively to the pad for supporting said pivoted member, and means between the pivoted member and the supporting means for swinging said pivoted member longitudinally of the pad through the opening at the front of the portion of the shoe upper which extends beyond the last and into position to engage said last while the shoe is located in operative position on the pad and while the last is free from said pivoted member, thereby moving said pivoted member into position to engage the last without bending the upper over the top of the last. m

4. Ina machine for operating on shoe bottoms, the combination of a support for a sole and shoe, a member foroperating on the forepart of a sole and shoe, a member movable into position over the shoe and arranged for swinging movement longitudinally of the support for engaging a last in a shoe the upper of which extends beyond the top of said last and for operating on the rear portions of the sole and shoe, means for moving said last-engaging member over the shoe, means for swinging said member into position to engage the last in the shoe without dislocating the portion of said upper which extends beyond the last, and means for swinging said last-engaging member to inoperative position after it has operated on the sole and shoe and while it is located over the shoe.

5. In a machine for applying pressure to shoe bottoms, the combination of a pad for receiving a sole and shoe, a swinging member movable laterally of the pad for applying pressure to a sole and shoe thereon, an abutment on said member for engaging the forepart of a shoe, means arranged for swinging movement longitudinally of the pad for engaging a last in a high shoe positioned on the pad without distorting the portion of the shoe upper which extends beyond the top of said last, and means under the control of an operator for effecting the longitudinal swinging movement of said last engaging means.

6. In a machine for applying pressure to shoe bottoms, the combination of means for supporting a sole and shoe, an abutment arranged for swinging movement longitudinally of the shoe for engaging a last in a shoe the upper of which extends above the last and is open at the front, means for swinging the abutment longitudinally through the opening in said upper and into position to engage the last during the pressure-applying operation, and means for automatically swinging said abutment longitudinally into inoperative position after pressure on the shoe is relieved.

'7. In a machine for applying pressure to shoe bottoms, the combination of a pad for receiving a sole and shoe, a swinging member movable laterally of the pad for applying pressure to a sole and shoe, an abutment on said member for engaging the forepart of a shoe, means pivoted on said swinging member for engaging the heel portion of a last in a shoe the upper of which extends beyond the top of said last and is open at the front, means for swinging said pivoted member through the opening at the front of said upper and into position to engage the last when pressure is applied to the shoe, and means on said last-engaging means for separating the opposite sides of said upper when said last-engaging means is swung into operative position, thereby preventing dislocation of that portion of the upper which extends beyond the last.

8. In a machine for applying pressure to shoe bottoms, the combination of a yieldable pad for receiving a sole and shoe, a member arranged to swing transversely of the pad for applying pressure to a sole and shoe, an abutment on said member for engaging the forepart of a shoe, a last-engaging abutment pivoted on said member for swinging movement longitudinally of a high shoe on the pad for engaging the top of the heel portion of the last in said shoe during the pressure-applying operation, said abutment having a flange thereon shaped to spread the opposite sides of the upper as the abutment is moved into lastengaging position, manually-operated means for swinging the pressure-applying member into opertive position relatively to the shoe on the pad, and manually-controlled means carried by said member for swinging the last-engaging abutment into position to engage the top of the last without causing the high portion of the upper to become pinched between said last and said abutment.

9. In a machine for applying pressure to shoe bottoms, the combination of a pad for receiving a sole and shoe, a swinging member movable transversely of the pad into and out of position to apply pressure to a sole and shoe, an abutment on said swinging member for engaging the forepart of a shoe, an abutment pivoted on said swinging member for movement longitudinally of the pad for engaging a last in a high shoe the upper of which is open at the front, and means for swinging said last-engaging abutment longitudinally of the pad through the opening in the upper to locate the abutment in last engaging position, said abutment having at its lower end a laterally extending flange with a tapered portion for engaging said upper and for separating the opposite sides thereof as the abutment swings into last-engaging position, and having a lastengaging surface which is narrower than the top of the last thereby preventing the top portion of said upper from being caught between the last and the abutment.

10. In a machine for applying pressure to shoe bottoms, the combination of a pad for receiving a sole and shoe, a member arranged for swinging movement laterally of the pad for applying pressure to a sole and shoe, an abutment on said member for engaging the forepart of a shoe, a handle pivoted on said pressure-applying member for swinging it into operative position, an abutment on said member for engaging a last in a shoe the upper of which extends above said last, a lever adjacent to said handle and arranged for pivotal movement relatively thereto, and connections between said lever and said last-engaging abutment for causing the latter to move relatively to the shoe on the pad into position to engage the last without disclocating the extended portion of the upper.

11. In a machine for applying pressure to shoe bottoms, the combination of a pad for receiving a sole and shoe, a swinging member for applying pressure to a sole and shoe, an abutment for engaging the forepart of a shoe during the pressing operation, a handle pivoted on said swinging member for movement longitudinally of the pad for swinging said member into operative position relatively to a. shoe on the pad, a link connecting said handle with said abutment whereby the latter may be moved longitudinally of the pad into positions to engage the foreparts of shoes of different lengths, a member pivoted on said swinging member for engaging a last in a high shoe during the pressing operation, the upper of said shoe being open at the front, a lever on the swinging member adjacent to said handle and arranged for pivotal movement longitudinally with the handle, and connections between the lever and the last-engaging member whereby the latter is held normally in inoperative position but may be swung into last-engaging position through manual operation of said lever in any position into which the lever and handle may be swung longitudinally of the pad.

FRANCIS J. BETTER. 

